President Hu Jintao on Tuesday (yesterday Beijing time) highlighted the
common aspirations and strategic interests shared by China and the United States
while calling for joint efforts to enhance relations.
The Chinese leader called for deepening Sino-US ties at a dinner hosted by
Washington state Governor Christine Gregoire ahead of a White House summit on
Thursday with his US counterpart George W. Bush.
The dinner was at the US$100-million lakeside mansion of Bill Gates, chairman
and founder of Microsoft; and among the invitees were more than 100 political
and corporate leaders, including executives of Boeing, which Hu was scheduled to
visit on Wednesday.
"Today, many cargo ships are busy crossing the Pacific Ocean, laden with the
rich fruit of our strong trade ties and friendship between our two peoples," Hu
said.
"I am sure that with the further deepening of China's reform and opening up,
we are going to see even broader prospects for economic co-operation and trade
between China and Washington state and China and the United States as a whole."
Despite differences in social systems and cultural traditions, Hu said, China
and the United States pursue the same goal of promoting economic and social
development and making life better for their peoples.
"We also share common strategic interests in a wide range of areas,
particularly in maintaining world peace, promoting global economic growth,
combating terrorism and preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction," he said.
He stressed that bilateral ties will realize reciprocal and win-win results
as long as the two nations view and handle their ties from a strategic height
and a long-term perspective, build on common strategic interests, and enhance
exchanges and co-operation with mutual respect and on an equal footing.
As the latest sign of closer bilateral co-operation, the United States and
China on Tuesday renewed an agreement on co-operation in science and technology.
The five-year extension of the Science and Technology Co-operation Agreement
will enable the two nations to continue exchanges of scientific and technical
knowledge, and to work on joint projects, a State Department statement said.